


Jam Bomb

by E350tb



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Jam Bomb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-03-08
Packaged: 2019-03-28 13:24:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13904904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/E350tb/pseuds/E350tb
Summary: Seven Connverse drabbles for your reading pleasure.Reposted from tumblr.





	1. Slumber Party

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Tumblr Jam Bomb from March 1 to March 7.

“Hey, Peri, check this out!”

Peridot stepped out of the bathroom and into the dark main room, finding Amethyst giggling and pointing to the couch.

She walked up to her and looked - Steven and Connie lay on the couch, wrapped in blankets and snuggling close to one another. They snored gently.

“I don’t understand,” said Peridot, “They’re just sleeping, right?”

"Yeah, but it’s _adorable_ , Peri,” replied Amethyst, “And also…”

She grabbed Steven’s phone from the coffee table and took a picture of them with it.

“…he’s gonna wake up and see that, and it’s gonna be _hilarious_ ,” she said, “Aw man, Steven’s got that dream sharing power of his, right? You think they’re sharing a dream?”

“It’s possible,” shrugged Peridot.

Amethyst held in a laugh, grinning.

“I don’t get what’s so funny,” said Peridot, “They’re just showing affection for each other, aren’t they? Isn’t that normal for humans?”

Amethyst snorted and put an arm over Peridot’s shoulder.

“Ah, never change Peri,” she chuckled.

There was a long silence.

“Would you like to ‘snuggle?’” asked Peridot.

“…yeah, alright.”


	2. Video Games

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot of references in this one.

“How about Sonia the Porcupine?” asked Steven.

“I’m not feeling it,” shrugged Connie.

“Okay,” nodded Steven, “The Fable of Zelde?”

“I love that game!” replied Connie, “But I thing I gave that one to Peedee to borrow.”

“Oh,” said Steven, “Clash Bilby?”

“I don’t think that one’s two-player.”

“Marios?”

“I don’t really wanna play as Ludovic?”

“Yeah, me neither. Volume Reaction?”

“I love that game! But it’d probably take too long.”

“Troidmet?”

“I don’t actually have that one. I do wanna get it, though.”

“Superb Slam Buds?”

“That ends friendships, Steven.”

“That’s what Lars says, yeah. Older Manuscripts?”

“Again, it’d take too long?”

“Cry of Obligation?”

“No.”

“Wait, I’ve got an idea!”

Steven jumped off of his bed, revealing his gem.

“I know how we can play _everything_ at once,” he declared.

* * *

 

Twenty minutes of brainstorming later, they had entered Rose’s Room.

Connie ran at lightning speed down a long path, dressed in a black suit of armour with a red stripe down the arm. She ran around a loop-de-loop in the path and jumped off the end, jumping over a series of red boxes suspended in mid air. They beeped threateningly at they started to count down from three, but she was clear of them by the time they exploded.

Steven jumped in next to her, dressed in a red hat marked ’S’ and overalls. He jumped up and hit a box marked with a question mark above them - a small blue shell fell from it. He grabbed it and bowled it towards a row of armoured soldiers with swords, knocking them all out.

They ran to the end of the path - above them was a giant moon with a hideous face, slowly falling towards them. Connie jumped into the air and extended her arm - the armour transformed into a blaster and fired a blast at the moon, blowing it to smithereens.

Steven and Connie cheered and hi-fived. Connie pulled her friend into a tight hug.

She then let go, blushing slightly.

“Uh, that was…that was tighter than I mean…”

Steven chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head.

“I mean, I didn’t mind…uh…um…”

There was a long silence.

“I should go,” said Connie.

“I’ll come with you.”

“Okay.”


	3. Resurrection

It had been the worst night of Priyanka’s life.

It had started just after five. There were few patients at the hospital and Priyanka was preparing to leave early. She had just stopped to discuss a few things with Doctor West when the music on the radio stopped abruptly.

_“We interrupt this program with a special news bulletin. We have just been informed of an explosion on the Beach City Boardwalk. Details are sketchy at this time, but it is believed that a gas main behind Fish Stew Pizza exploded…”_

It was bitterly ironic. After all the monsters and Homeworld attacks, what caused the most damage to the people of Beach City was a faulty gas main.

The ambulances began to arrive soon after. Both Fish Stew Pizza and Beach Citywalk Fries had been gutted, and what must have been half the town were being admitted to hospital. Priyanka watched as paramedics wheeled an unconscious Peedee Fryman into emergency, his shellshocked father ordered to stay outside. Both of the Pizza daughters would need to go into surgery. Former Mayor Dewey was a complete mess, and Priyanka privately doubted he'd make it through the night.

As darkness fell, she threw herself into her work - her phone lay ignored in her bag in the break room.

She had finished fixing Kofi’s injury (broken arm, but he'd live) when the last ambulance pulled up. The paramedics bolted through the doors - she noticed Steven following them, looking utterly distraught. Could Greg have been…

She looked upon the limp form on the stretcher. Her heart stopped.

* * *

 

The hospital adamantly refused to let her operate on Connie - in fact, Priyanka was taken off shift immediately. They had said that she couldn't reasonably be expected to work to the best of her ability while knowing her daughter was fighting for her life. West was in charge now, and while Priyanka trusted him, she couldn't help but be worried sick.

So she sat outside her ward in silent vigil. For an hour, Doug joined her, but eventually she asked him to go to the waiting room - she desperately needed to be alone.

Eventually, Dr. West emerged from the ward, looking the other way. He didn't seem to notice her, speaking into a phone.

“Yes, I'm calling it in,” he said, “11:37pm. There wasn't anything we could've done…”

Priyanka went numb. Her hands began to shake. For three seconds - the worst of her life - she didn't know whether she was going to cry or vomit.

Then came the shout.

“Dr. West! You're going to want to see this!”

“This better be good, Rory, I… _holy mother of mercy._ ”

Priyanka tried to glance through the ward door. All she could see was a pink light…

* * *

They were lucky. They were so very lucky.

Dewey had died overnight. The twins had lived, but the top left half of Jenny’s face was badly scarred. Steven had gone to check on Peedee, and Priyanka had the inkling that something had happened there, because the boy had looked so exhausted when he'd returned to Connie’s ward.

She watched him sleep on the chair next to her daughter, his eyes dark-rimmed and his cheeks covered in the tracks of dried tears. He had been cursing himself all night - if only he'd made his bubble quicker or bigger. As if the poor boy could be blamed for what happened!

She looked at her daughter. She looked so peaceful in her hospital gown, and you'd be forgiven for thinking that nothing had happened. Only the fluorescent pink skin and hair betrayed what had happened to her - and what Steven had done for her.

He'd thought she'd be mad at him. He'd been terrified of her reaction. And certainly, she was still processing what had happened, but he'd saved her life. How could she be angry at him? How could she ever repay him?

The door gently opened.

“Stu-ball?”

“He's asleep,” whispered Priyanka.

The door opened and Greg walked him. He looked tired and worn - Priyanka imagined that she looked much the same. He sat down across from her - they were quiet for some time.

“Greg,” said Priyanka, “I just want to say, if you ever need anything…”

“Oh, no, I don't want you to feel like you owe us anything,” replied Greg, “Connie being alive is good enough for me, you know…”

“The offer still stands,” replied Priyanka firmly.

Greg swallowed and nodded.

Priyanka glanced over at the sleeping kids.

“They really do love each other, don't they?” she asked.

Greg hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

“Connie is Steven’s whole world, Priyanka,” he replied, “Last time I saw anything like that was, well, me and Rose.”

He chuckled quietly.

“They don't know what's up yet, but they'll find out,” he said.

There was another long silence.

“Did Steven tell you...y’know, about Lion?”

“That he's lived for two centuries at least?” replied Priyanka, “Connie told us. She loves that lion.”

She looked at Connie again.

“Do you know how long Steven’s…” she began.

“Theoretically he could live forever,” shrugged Greg, “That's what Garnet says, anyway.”

Priyanka nodded.

“Forever is a very long time,” she muttered, “But I guess neither of them will have to live it alone.”

She looked Greg in the eye.

“A million years from now,” she said, “Do you think they'll remember us?”

Greg smiled.

“I know they will.”

* * *

They discharged Connie at 9am, and Doug arrived not long after. Priyanka and Steven helped her to the car - she climbed in the back, leaving Steven and Priyanka alone for a second.

“Dr. Maheswaran, I am so sorry…” Steven began.

“No.”

Priyanka crossed her arms.

“I'd rather have Connie be pink than be dead,” she said, “And whatever happens next, we deal with it as a team. As a _family_.”

Priyanka smiled, and Steven couldn't help but grin back.

* * *

Connie sat on the couch, looking at her hands. Priyanka sat down next to her.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

“I'm still not used to being pink,” Connie replied, “I really should've asked Lars and Sadie more about what it's like. I mean, maybe I can make portals now?”

She shook her head.

“A gas main,” she said, “I can't believe a gas main got me.”

There was a long silence.

“Do you think I'm...different now?” asked Connie, “Because of the pink, and the portal hair, and…”

Priyanka smiled and hugged her child.

“You're always the most beautiful person in the world to me,” she said.

Connie smiled and rested her head in her shoulder. Before long, both had dozed off into a peaceful sleep.


	4. First Date

It was a bit ridiculous to think of this of anything too special. When, just a few weeks after Connie’s sixteenth birthday, she and Steven had announced they were ‘officially dating’, it had come as no surprise to anybody. (Doug, for his part, had been shocked - _they hadn’t been dating already?!_ )

So this should have been a normal, everyday dinner at the Temple to which Connie just happened to come around to. Pearl was probably going overboard, right?

It didn’t quite warrant the flowers, but Pearl had seen them on a mission and they just looked so nice in that vase on the coffee table.

It didn’t quite warrant the scented candles, but Pearl liked the smell, and they added to the mood.

It didn’t quite warrant her slaving away over a potato bake that only they and Amethyst would ever eat, but it was a nice, healthy meal for them, you know?

It _definitely_ didn’t warrant the bittersweet tears. It was a date. They happened all the time. Sure, it meant her baby boy was growing up, but…

Actually, no. If nothing else, it _did_ warrant that.


	5. Gem Mission

“I can’t believe this happened,” grumbled Amethyst.

She, Steven, Connie and Peridot were huddled under a small rocky outcrop in the gorge, elevated above the flooded river. Rain and wind whipped the world around them - they felt damp, cold and miserable.

It had started out as a routine mission - they had come to this region to find an ancient gem artefact in a ruined temple. It was a ring, made of a magical material that only manifested itself in this dimension every two centuries (why Homeworld made such a thing was not known). They had hoped to move it to the Burning Room while it was still tangible, but they had reckoned without the temple’s security measures. As soon as they left, the weather had changed - flood waters streamed in, and Pearl and Garnet were washed away. Steven, Connie and the two smaller gems had managed to stay together (barely), and they now sat here, soaked to their skins.

Connie juggled the ring between her hands, studying it intently.

“Does anyone know what this ring actually does?” she asked.

Amethyst shrugged.

"It merely fades in and out of reality,” shrugged Peridot, “Probably intended for some kind of formal ceremony, but it would’ve been discontinued long ago…”

“Can I try it on?”

Peridot shrugged.

“I don’t think there’d be a problem,” she replied, “It’d probably help us carry it around.”

“Are you sure about that, Peridot?” asked Steven, “I think we should wait until…”

“Who’s the Homeworld expert here, Steven?” said Peridot obnoxiously, “It’s fine. Trust me.”

Connie nodded.

“Alright,” she said, “Here goes.”

She slipped on the ring…

…

…

…and nothing happened.

“Huh,” said Connie, “I guess you were right.”

“What did I tell you!” exclaimed Peridot, “If I may use a human expression - give me five!”

She held up her hand. Connie smiled and hi-fived her.

 **Flash**.

The two fell backwards. Steven gasped, and ran over to Connie - Amethyst raced over to Peridot equally quickly.

“Connie!” exclaimed Steven, “Are you okay?”

Connie rubbed her head and sat up.

“The interior of my physical form feels _weird_ ,” she replied, “Also, I don’t know if your vision spheres are functioning right now, Steven, because I am clearly _not_ Connie…wait, what’s happened to my voice?”

“…aaaaaaw _crud_ ,” said Amethyst.

Peridot slowly sat up, rubbing her own head. Her hand rubbed over her visor, and then her gem. She froze.

“What? Is that…my _voice_ …”

She moved her hand in front of her eyes.

"…my _skin?!_ ”  
Connie jumped to her feet and pointed to her.

“You!” she exclaimed, “Give me back my body _immediately!_ ”

Peridot tilted her head.

“Is that… _me?_ ” she quizzed, “But…but _I’m_ …wait…”

She looked down at herself.

"We _swapped bodies?!_ ”

Steven gasped and snapped his fingers.

“The ring!” he exclaimed, “It must have the power to swap minds! Guys, guys, touch each other again!”

Connie - more accurately, Peridot in Connie’s body - looked at her borrowed hand and the ring.

“Of course,” she nodded, “We swapped our forms at the moment we touched hands.”

She extended her hand.

“Connie,” she said, “Up top.”

Connie hesitated before giving Peridot five again.

Nothing happened. They made a few more attempts, the hi-fives growing increasingly awkward, but there was no flash.

"Argh!” screeched Peridot, taking the ring off, “You stupid clod!”

She threw the ring to the ground. Confused, Steven picked it up and slipped it on.

“Does it only work once?” he wondered.

Amethyst smiled and walked over.

“It’ll be fine, Ste-man,” she said, slapping a hand on Steven’s shoulder, “We’ll get back to the tem-”

**Flash.**

“-ple and find some way to fix this,” finished Steven.

There was a long silence as he and Amethyst looked at each other.

“ _Oh_ ,” said Amethyst, now in Steven’s body, “Well _darn_.”

“Why did it work that time?!” exclaimed Steven, “This doesn’t make any sense!”

"I dunno, weird Homeworld junk,” shrugged Amethyst, “Aw, neat, I have a pancreas now! _Awe_ - _soooome!_ ”

She blinked.

“Still don’t know what that is, though,” she said, “But hey, we’re paired up now! Gem and gem! Human and human! Girlfriend and…”

"Amethyst, no!” exclaimed Steven.

Amethyst smirked. Peridot tilted her head.

“Uh, what’s that last one?” she asked.

“Nothing, ‘Dot. Absolutely nothing.”

Connie scratched her chin, pacing back and forth.

“Wait a minute,” she said, “It swapped me with Peridot but it wouldn’t let me swap back, but it _would_ let Steven and Amethyst swap…”

“Yes, I _did_ witness this series of events,” grunted Peridot, “Get to the point.”

“Maybe it can only swap between two bodies once?” mused Connie.

She extended her hand.

“Amethyst, touch my hand,” she said.

Amethyst didn’t reply, running her hands through her new hair.

"Man, this stuff’s greasy,” she said.

"Yeah, washing my hair in the sink doesn’t really work that well,” sighed Steven.

“Nah, it’s cool, I like it!”

“ _Amethyst_ ,” repeated Connie.

“Okay, okay, I’m on it.”

She touched Connie’s hand.

**Flash.**

The person now in Peridot’s body clutched her visor, laughing.

“Wow, everything’s so green!” she exclaimed, “This is _rad_ , Peri!”

"It worked!” said Connie, now in Steven’s body, “We can get back to our own bodies!”

“Good, now give mine back,” said Peridot grumpily.

“Not yet,” replied Connie, slipping off the ring, “We need to do this right. If I swap back with Steven, I’d end up in Amethyst’s body…”

“…and then you just swap into yours,” said Amethyst, “Easy, man.”

“No, because if I swap into _your_ body,” continued Connie, “And then I swap into mind, then you and Peridot are still in the wrong bodies. And the ring’s already swapped between those bodies, so you’d be stuck.”

Peridot nodded.

“Excellent rationalisation, Connie,” she said, “Hand me the ring, will you?”

Connie slipped off the ring and handed it to Peridot. She put it on and turned to Steven, stoically raising her hand.

“Up top,” she said with the utmost seriousness.

Steven scratched the back of his neck.

“I dunno,” he said, “This feels awkward.”

“Do you want your body back or not?” grunted Peridot.

“…I want my body back,” said Steven.

Peridot raised her hand again. Steven swallowed and hi-fived.

**Flash.**

Steven, now in Connie’s body, blushed as he looked down at himself.

“W-well, it worked,” he said.

"Of course it did,” nodded Peridot, now in Amethyst’s body, “Now, let’s finish this before…”

She grabbed a tuft of her new hair, rubbing her hands through it.

“…wow,” she breathed, “It’s so… _fluffy_ …”

Amethyst grinned, crossing her arms.

“You’re always running your hands through my hair, aren’t you Peri?” she said, “You’re like a cat.”

“I - _no I do not_!” exclaimed Peridot, blushing, “I mean…I only do it when you’re sleeping…”

Amethyst smirked.

“You two swap back,” she said, “Peri’s a little busy at the moment.”

Steven and Connie turned to each other. Connie sighed.

"It’s weird looking at my own face,” she said, “I never realised how big my nose is…”

“It’s not big!” exclaimed Steven, “It’s…it’s pretty! Especially with your new haircut - I mean, my hair’s just a big mess…”

“It’s not a mess!” said Connie, “Your hair’s great! It really suits you, you know, and…anyway, I’m not _pretty_ …”

“You are!” replied Steven, “You _totally are!_ And you’re smart and nice and…”

“Oh, you’re much nicer than I am,” interrupted Connie, “You’ve never flipped a guy for bumping into you, and-”

“Oh, for the love of - either _swap back_ or _kiss!_ ” yelled Amethyst.

Steven and Connie’s faces turned bright red.

“Well, okay,” nodded Connie, “Here we go.”

They stepped forward and hugged each other.

**Flash.**

Connie stepped back, glad not to be looking at her own face.

“It worked!” exclaimed Steven, “Connie, your idea worked!”

He laughed and hugged Connie again. She hugged back, laughing.

Steven pulled away, taking off the ring and throwing it to Peridot. She sighed, tearing her hands away from Amethyst’s fluffy hair and slipping it on.

“Well, back to normal,” said Amethyst.

“Yes,” nodded Peridot, “Although I _will_ miss your hair.”

“Ah, come on, 'Dot,” chuckled Amethyst, “It’s not really going anywhere.”

Peridot nodded and touched Amethyst’s shoulder.

**Flash.**

“There you are!”

The four looked out into the rain as Garnet waded through the flooded river, carrying Pearl on her shoulders. Amethyst - now in her own body - snorted.

“Having fun, P?” she asked.

Pearl rolled her eyes.

“We’ve been looking all over for you,” she said, “Honestly, the signposting in this area is _atrocious!_ I mean, what is _Lithgow_ supposed to mean anyway?”

“Do you still have the ring?” asked Garnet.

Amethyst smiled and held it up.

“Still got it, G,” she said.

“Oh, that’s great!” said Pearl, relieved, “We can still get it back to the Temple. Here, give it to me…”

The four looked at each other. Amethyst smirked.

“Sure thing, Pearl,” she nodded, holding it out, “How about you put it on?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ones my favourite, I think. :)


	6. Fusion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, who would be the most unlikely person to give fusion advice?

Aquamarine sat in the cell on the _Sun Incinerator_. Well, it was _technically_ a cargo locker, but it had been converted into a cell, which was the main thing.

She grumbled to herself, cursing her incompetent guards for allowing herself to call into the hands of the wretched Crystal Gems. Sure, there’d been a whole bunch of them, including a defected Emerald and her own wretched traitor comrades Topaz and Topaz, and she’d only had three Rubies and a Jasper, but surely they could have fought harder!

Oh well. Nothing to do now but await the inevitable torture. She remembered her rehearsed answers - Aquamarine, Facet Three, Cut F-T. Repeat until shattered.

“Yo, Aqua! Guard change.”

Aquamarine rolled her eyes as the runt Amethyst and the hideous Rhodonite walked away. They were replaced with a bored-looking Lapis Lazuli and a tall human. Aquamarine shuddered - it was the _human_ fusion. The _Stevonnie_.

Lapis sat against the wall and pulled out a strange object - a ‘book’, the humans called them, this one about some kind of ‘Spirit Morph Saga’. Stevonnie sat next to the bars of her cell, looked inside and smiled.

“Hi!” they said, “Are you okay in there?”

“Yes,” grumbled Aquamarine, “I’m absolutely _wonderful_. I _really_ appreciate you asking that.”

Lapis snorted.

“Well, let me know if you need anything,” replied Stevonnie.

“Can I have my wand back?”

“Apart from that.”

They sat in silence for some time.

“You’re _fused_ ,” said Aquamarine warily.

Stevonnie nodded.

"Yep,” they said.

“Either of your components could do this task,” continued Aquamarine, “Probably more efficiently, too. What purpose are you fused for?”

“To keep an eye on you,” shrugged Stevonnie.

“But I just told you, you can do that apart,” snapped Aquamarine.

Stevonnie chuckled. They remembered the conversation Garnet had had with Peridot so long ago.

“Don’t want to,” they replied.

“So you just fused for the sake of fusion?” spat Aquamarine, “That’s _disgusting_. You’re _disgusting_. I don’t wanna talk to you. You might spread your _disgusting_ onto me.”

There was another long silence, broken only by the sound of Lapis turning pages in the book.

“You didn’t really answer my question.”

Stevonnie perked up and turned to Aquamarine.

“Hmm?”

“Why are you fused?” repeated Aquamarine, “And not even just you! The Garnet, the Rhodonite, the Fluorite, Topaz - what is your obsession with fusions?!”

Stevonnie scratched their chin.

“It’s…hard to explain,” they replied, “Have you ever had somebody that you couldn’t possibly live without?”

“No,” said Aquamarine bluntly.

“…oh. Well,” said Stevonnie, “Garnet stays fused because Ruby and Sapphire can’t bear to be apart. They love each other so much that they decided to stay a fusion forever. It’s sort of like - wait, no, you’re not gonna know what marriage is…”

“Symbiosis?” asked Aquamarine.

Stevonnie raised an eyebrow.

“Two things that need each other to survive,” elaborated Aquamarine.

Stevonnie nodded.

“Yeah,” they said, “Like that.”

“I see,” said Aquamarine, furrowing her brow, “So it’s the same for Rhodonite and Topaz and Fl…” She stumbled over the word, as if it was tainted. “ _Fluorite_.”

“Yeah,” Stevonnie grinned.

“So, are _you_ a permafusion?” asked Aquamarine.

Stevonnie was silent for a while.

“Sometimes I ask the same question,” muttered Lapis.

Stevonnie chuckled despite themself.

“I’m not a permafusion, no,” they replied, “I…”

“But you’ve _thought_ about it.”

It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.

Stevonnie sighed and sat back, running a hand through their hair.

“Yeah,” they admitted, “But I _couldn’t_. I can’t take Steven and Connie away from Mom and Dad and Dad - and they both have _lives_ , you know? But being me is such a _wonderful_ feeling. I feel their thoughts running together in my head, and I can hardly tell who is who but it doesn’t _matter_ because it’s so _warm_ and full of _love_ …”

Aquamarine’s face looked like she’d just sucked a lemon.

“Yes,” she said, “How… _charming_.”

“Well, thank the stars you stopped them,” interjected Lapis, “They can go on like that for _hours_.”

“Yeah,” sighed Stevonnie, “I’m not a permafusion. I _can’t_ be a permafusion.”

There was a brief silence.

“Can I say something?” asked Aquamarine.

Stevonnie nodded.

“I just want to say that I think all of this is disgusting and an affront to everything proper about Gem society,” said Aquamarine.

“Gee, thanks,” grunted Stevonnie.

“ _That said…_ ”

Aquamarine raised a finger self-importantly.

"…if being fused creates that sort of feeling for you,” continued Aquamarine, “That feeling of…completeness, I guess? Then you should just go ahead and stay fused.”

“But…”

“If your 'families’,” Aquamarine used exaggerated air quotes here, “Really care about you, than they’d accept you no matter what - or _who_ \- you were.”

“Unlike the Diamonds,” muttered Lapis.

Aquamarine opened her mouth to shout at her, but found no words would come out.

Stevonnie nodded thoughtfully.

“Maybe,” they said, “But…I’m scared, you know? What if they _don’t_?”

“Well, I guess it’s their loss,” shrugged Aquamarine, “Not a particularly _valuable_ loss, but I imagine humans have to take what they can get.”

“Guard change! Guard change!”

Carnelian marched down the corridor, shouting boisterously - Garnet followed behind, stoic as ever. Lapis packed up her book as she and Stevonnie got up.

“Ugh, another fusion,” grunted Aquamarine, “ _Wonderful_. Maybe _this_ is my torture.”

“Nice to see you too, Aquamarine,” said Garnet flatly, “Stevonnie, Pearl wants Steven and Connie ready to train in two hours. Get a nap while you can.”

“Should I unfuse?” asked Stevonnie.

“Only if you want to,” replied Garnet.

Stevonnie grinned and ran off down the hall. Lapis gave Garnet a lazy wave before following them away.

Aquamarine narrowed her eyes.

“The Garnet,” she snapped, “You have future vision. Do they decide to become a permafusion?”

Garnet smiled and crossed her arms.

“You’re going to have to stick around and find out, aren’t you?” she replied.

“Oh, no way, I am _not_ becoming a Crystal Gem!” spluttered Aquamarine, “Never! You’ll have to tear my gem apart, shard by shard, before I…”

Garnet chuckled and shook her head, listening to the tiny gem rant.

* * *

 

Stevonnie found a bed in the break room (formerly the officer’s mess). Lars and Sadie were snoozing together on another bed, and they made sure not to wake them.

They lay down, getting nice and comfortable.

“Do you want to unfuse?” they asked themself.

They smiled.

_“Nah.”_

They closed their eyes and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Perma!Stevonnie: Y/N?


	7. Free Day (The Pool)

Garnet started it.

She came out of the Temple one morning with a blank notepad and a bucket, slamming it on the kitchen counter. Before Pearl and Amethyst could say anything, she made her declaration; “Connie’s sixteenth birthday.”

After explaining what she meant, the other two gems quickly joined the betting pool. Each put something in - Garnet put an old picture of her with Chuck Berry, Amethyst donated a small painting of Baby Steven (a Vidalia original), and Pearl entered the top hat from her tuxedo.

News soon spread. Peridot quickly joined with her old foot limb enhancer, and then Lapis added the leaf Steven had given her. Then Greg cheerfully threw in one of his old Mr. Universe shirts. After that came Lars and the Off-Colors, who jointly bet the cape from Lars’ captain’s outfit (he had a spare).

Sadie decided to wager some demo tapes from the band. The Cool Kids soon followed, betting a few fragments of Peridot’s escape pod. The Frymans put in a photograph of the old Frybo costume, and Ronaldo added his paper star. Kiki put n her old running headband. Ex-Mayor Dewey wagered his megaphone.

And so it went on, with more and more added to the pool. Eventually, even Doug and Priyanka joined in, going with a flashlight and stethoscope respectively.

On the night of Connie’s sixteenth birthday, she and Steven found themselves alone on the beach. All was peaceful, everything was as it should be, and Connie finally decided that it was now or never. She gripped Steven’s hands - they looked each other in the eye and began to lean in, slowly and deliberately.

Eventually, they made contact - their first kiss.

This was cut short by two things. First, the bright light that enveloped them and fused them into one.

Second, the loud and jubilant cheers as all of their friends and family emerged from hiding - and none cheered more than Garnet, for she had officially won the betting pool.

Of course, it had never really mattered who won. The bucket, after all, had always been intended for someone else. But it meant that a beaming Garnet was able to hand Stevonnie the esoteric bucket of winnings, as a congratulations for finally realising that they were in love. 

It was fitting - one entity made of love celebrating another.

And so it was that they never came apart again.

…

Well, they _did_ unfuse, but I’m sure you know what I mean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay but Garnet taking part in betting pools is a bit unfair, you know?


End file.
